Oklahoma Health Care Authority CEO Announces Retirement

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, July 30 -- The Oklahoma Health Care Authority issued the following news release:

Rebecca Pasternik-Ikard, Chief Executive Officer of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and State Medicaid Director, announced her retirement today, effective October 1, 2019.

"Becky Pasternik-Ikard has been an honorable public servant over the past 25 years. We appreciate her devotion and passion for leading Oklahoma's Medicaid program, and we look forward to seeing the success she will have in her next chapter," said Governor Kevin Stitt. "We will be announcing the next director in the coming days to lead this important agency as we work to align state services and move the needle on health outcomes for all Oklahomans."

"It has been my honor and privilege to work at the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and in public service for the last 30 years," said Pasternik-Ikard. "This agency's excellence stems from the employees I have had the pleasure to work with for over 20 years, and I know their exemplary work will continue in the days and years to come as they continue to work to provide health care to Oklahomans, regardless of ability to pay."

Pasternik-Ikard was named OHCA CEO in October 2016, retaining the title of State Medicaid Director upon her appointment. She has served on multiple national boards, including the National Association of Medicaid Directors, National Association of State Health Policy Academy, multiple CMS advisory groups, and contributed to multiple state and national workgroups and projects related to health care access, coverage and system reform. Before joining OHCA, she served as an Assistant Attorney General for Oklahoma in the litigation and administrative law sections. She has a Juris Doctor, and Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, with a background in burn nursing and injury epidemiology.

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About the Oklahoma Health Care Authority

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) administers two health programs for the state. The first is SoonerCare, Oklahoma's Medicaid program. SoonerCare works to improve the health of qualified Oklahomans by ensuring that medically necessary benefits and services are available. Qualifying Oklahomans include certain low-income children, seniors, the disabled, those being treated for breast or cervical cancer and those seeking family planning services. The second program OHCA operates is Insure Oklahoma, which assists qualifying adults and small business employees in obtaining health care coverage for themselves and their families. Currently, there are 805,273 Oklahomans enrolled in OHCA's programs. The agency contracts with a network of 52,414 providers. For more information, visit www.okhca.org or www.insureoklahoma.org